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I am Nick from Team KANX, and this blog will serve as a way for me to document my learning progress in the new module, Chemical Product Design and Development. It will be updated progressively as my groupmates and I learn more about the various skills that will be taught in this module.

More About Myself

• I like listening to music. My favourite artiste is Rick Astley.
• I read adult fiction and horror in my free time.

Introduction to the New Module
Chemical Product Design and Development, or CPDD, is a continuation of Introduction to Chemical Product Design from Year 2 Semester 1. It will enable me to gain various skills and techniques in chemical product development and experimental designs.

My Personal Goals
From this module, I hope that I will be able to improve my own critical and interpersonal communication skills. In the previous semester, our group ran into some issues regarding report submissions near the end of the previous semester due to a few miscommunications on my part. To improve on this, I can change the way I interact with my teammates by listening to them more actively. By being an active listener, I will be able to engage with my teammates better and communicate with them more effectively. When speaking, I can also use simple and concise language so that it is easier for my teammates to understand what I am saying. I will know if I have achieved this goal because at the end of the semester, I will be able to reflect on whether I have been more engaged and connected with my team.

Another skill that I hope to acquire is to be more proficient at Computer Aided Design (CAD). When using Fusion 360 in the previous semester, I experienced some difficulties in crafting the desired shapes of my product in the software due to my lack of familiarity and experience with it. To improve on this, I can practice creating more 3D objects in the software during my free time. I can also explore the various different tools, gadgets and features of Fusion 360. I will know if I have achieved this goal because at the end of the semester, I would be able to navigate my way through the software more easily.

Group Dynamics
For this semester, we allocated a few new roles to help us manage our responsibilities better:

• As the team leader, I am in charge of ensuring smooth and effective team operations. I also allocate work evenly to the members of the team so that each team member can participate and contribute to group discussions.
• Xavier is the time-keeper. During our weekly online group meetings, he will be in charge of keeping track of time, and ensuring that we do not spend too much time on meaningless discussions. He will monitor the time to maintain the schedule as per our agenda.
• Anwar is the scribe. He will document important details mentioned during the online meetings so that we can keep track of whatever has been done during an online meeting. We can revisit these past records to help us make future decisions based on knowledge that we would otherwise have forgotten.
• Kieran will be the target setter. He will be in charge of keeping the team on track and focused at the task at hand, set the purpose and targets of online meetings, and help us identify the plan to achieve these. He will also help to find resources to support the team's research.

Ground Rules

We also laid down some ground rules that every member had to adhere to:

• Team members need to contribute and do their part. Assigned work should be completed before the deadline set to allow for revisions and improvements as a group. If a member is unable to complete their allocated work on time, they should inform the rest of the group and ask for help from the team. We should also help one another with difficult or time-consuming tasks.
• Team members should be on time for all team meetings. Set aside a regular weekly meeting time that’s kept open by all members from week to week. If a member is unable to attend a meeting, they should inform the rest of the group. In the case of our group, weekly meetings are held every Tuesday from 8pm to 10pm.
• Team members should treat each other with respect. Confront conflicts directly and promptly. Do not discriminate against a particular team member.
• Team members should take feedback with an open mind. Make constructive criticisms and give suggestions for improvement. Keep a positive attitude toward the team and individual members, and be honest with any team member who is not pulling their weight.